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As always Hanyuu is super cute the guys who caught her in the backround have some sharp eyes, i thought the quality of the vid was corrupted or something i should have paused. good job to whoever got it. I really wish we had more info about her and Rika's connection. There are so many theories its hard to even keep up with them all.
This episode was a huge change from episode 2 we had half the fun and the other half was well.................we all know what happens.

I didnt think it would happen this fast but im starting to get sad already

You know, I'm really kicking myself now that I decided to spoil myself on most of the solutions after the first series ended, thinking at the time that there'd never be a second series. I think what makes Higurashi such an exciting ride is the elaborate mystery, and, unfortunately, knowing a lot of what's going to happen next really spoils it.

Anyway, great episode. Needless to say, it's great that Rika got the focus in this episode and will possibly be getting much of the center stage for the rest of this arc. I really think this ep did an outstanding job of bringing a human side to the character and showing the subtle (but important)

Spoiler for veeery minor spoiler, virtually reveals nothing:

hopelessness and inevitability

she struggles with.

I reckon the art and animation has improved out-of-sight compared with the first series. Although, it's one of a few things that's seemingly improved over the first series, IMO

Probably not a spoiler for those that have watched the episode...but just in case.

Spoiler:

Anyone thinking that Rika will be the one to snap in this arc...or possibly the next one?

Like Keiichi and Rena, she's not trusting/putting her faith in her friends. She's also becoming increasingly pessimistic as the resets go on and on and on, with her suffering a horrific death each time and no apparent way out.

I'm thinking she's going to crack soon -- not sure how it's going to manifest itself, but she will be the one to go nuts.

Probably not a spoiler for those that have watched the episode...but just in case.

Spoiler:

Anyone thinking that Rika will be the one to snap in this arc...or possibly the next one?

Like Keiichi and Rena, she's not trusting/putting her faith in her friends. She's also becoming increasingly pessimistic as the resets go on and on and on, with her suffering a horrific death each time and no apparent way out.

I'm thinking she's going to crack soon -- not sure how it's going to manifest itself, but she will be the one to go nuts.

Spoiler for explanations about rika condition, nothing foretelling:

We can assume this kind of things won't really happen. We don't have the reason why in each arc someone goes mad, however, Rika is kinda "immune" since she knows there are problems, and various elements aren't related to something paranormal and the like. She perfectly know the culprit isn't supernatural, but she doesn't have the ability to fight against.

it isn't like she has distrust for her friends, but more likely she doesn't want them to live more suffering they actually do. Without any remembrance of the past chapters, the chances that they don't get suspicious with her explanations are low.

things are Rika somewhat knows how and "why" they get crazy, and aknowledge several things. thus, paranoia cannot hit her completely, and so Rika won't end in the spiral of madness.
Despite being jaded, chances that she got mad are almost inexistent; except if a major event, different from the 6 arcs occur.

i don't confirm anything, but most likely what we can conclude with the 3 first episodes and the rest

Well regardless of your opinion of who will become the main antagonist and the victim, I think it's safe the assume that the next episode is going to mark the beginning of the sinister events that unfold after the village's festival seeing as that is the usual trademark for turning points that this series has been using in the first season.

@raikage:

Quote:

Originally Posted by raikage

Probably not a spoiler for those that have watched the episode...but just in case.

Spoiler:

Anyone thinking that Rika will be the one to snap in this arc...or possibly the next one?

Like Keiichi and Rena, she's not trusting/putting her faith in her friends. She's also becoming increasingly pessimistic as the resets go on and on and on, with her suffering a horrific death each time and no apparent way out.

I'm thinking she's going to crack soon -- not sure how it's going to manifest itself, but she will be the one to go nuts.

I can't say that i agree with your statement since Rika is one of the centerpieces of the puzzle involving the repeating of events in Hinamizawa and as you said, Rika does seem to be caught in that endless cycle of being killed then brought into a new incarnation of Hinamizawa. I'm not trying to say that you're entirely wrong and I'd love to be wrong if they threw in such a twist so here's hoping for the next episode.

<Edit>
also it is known that Rika has been trying to right the wrongs and mistakes of the other characters in an attempt to make a "right" world

Actually I want to see Mion snap. It hasn't been done before, and it's one of the unsolved mystery why she doesn't. Almost everyone in the club has done it (there's a good explaination why Rika doesn't), and the only times we see Mion "change" is sucessor-mode or the only one line in Onikakushi-hen, "I should've never let that old man (Oiishi) live".

Spoiler:

And we know from Meakashi-hen that "sucessor-mode" is actually just Shion's point of view, much like Keiichi in Onikakushi-hen

I understand why Rika doesn't know who kills her but why can't hanyuu tell her or is there ar ule that hanyuu has to be sleep at the same time Rika is

because there is absolutely no indication if hanyuu is completely "free" in her movement and actions, despite being a spirit/ghost.
Further explanations should be given later, but everything cannot be that simple.

Is it official they're using the rest of the season after Yakusamashi-hen for Minagoroshi-hen and Matsuribayashi-hen?

It would be amazing if they ended everything with Saikoroshi-hen!

Spoiler for spoiler if you haven't read the arc synopses:

Where two months after the events of Matsurbiyashi-hen. Rika falls into a coma after a car accident, but she wakes up in a totally different world, where none of the tragic events of the main series ever happened: Keiichi isn't in Hinamizawa, Rena's parents didn't divorce, the dam project was resolved smoothly, and neither Satoko nor Rika's parents died. Unfortunately, this perfect world drives Rika insane, and she becomes the villain.

I'm glad they included this arc though, as it's allowing a lot of the subtly telling tips which may not have fit into the official arcs to be animated.

because there is absolutely no indication if hanyuu is completely "free" in her movement and actions, despite being a spirit/ghost.
Further explanations should be given later, but everything cannot be that simple.

I think that was bought up before we really dont know to what extent Hanyuu can influnence well....anything. It is possible her existence is just that of a watcher of events Hinamizawa. I my self am curious about why only Rika can hear and see her but we are only 3 episodes in so patience will be a virtue. Like Klashikari stated there is nothing stopping them from changing things around. I dont think Rika will be the one to break the cycle from what i have seen her fate/destiny or whatever you want to call it is signed and sealed there is no going aganist it. She said her self there is no way out of it and she will be doomed to die as long as the cosmic reset exists.

I think that was bought up before we really dont know to what extent Hanyuu can influnence well....anything. It is possible her existence is just that of a watcher of events Hinamizawa.

Indeed. She would have fixed everything by now if she could.

Quote:

I my self am curious about why only Rika can hear and see her

I'm not sure that's the case. The only time she really appears is at night to talk to Rika, and since Rika's the only one awake at the time, we can't say for certain if anyone else can perceive her presence.

Quote:

dont think Rika will be the one to break the cycle from what i have seen her fate/destiny or whatever you want to call it is signed and sealed there is no going aganist it.

The subjects of friendship and trust have been beaten to death in this story (not necessarily in a bad way), so I think that might have something to do with the ultimate solution. Remember that one variable that hasn't been explored yet is Rika and/or Hanyuu explaining to everyone what's happening.

Quote:

She said her self there is no way out of it and she will be doomed to die as long as the cosmic reset exists.

That was just Rika being depressed. Cheer up, Rika - you've still got one day left to live

I'm not sure that's the case. The only time she really appears is at night to talk to Rika, and since Rika's the only one awake at the time, we can't say for certain if anyone else can perceive her presence.

Actually, we can since satoko is unable to see hanyuu. (satoko saw rika alone, saying she will be killed. it is only later on that she wakes up, and we see that hanyuu erases herself).

up to this point, of course, there isn't any indication if Hanyuu cannot show herself to anyone else to rika. (if she wants), but her default status is clearly "invisible and impossible to hear, except for rika"

Quote:

Remember that one variable that hasn't been explored yet is Rika and/or Hanyuu explaining to everyone what's happening.

Considering what Rika said in the end of this episode, she already tried, and the results weren't great, if not completely opposite of what it should be.

If she did, we didn't see it, which I doubt would be the case. She did tell Akasaka, but he isn't really in a position to be convinced until it's far too late.

Well, from this point, we can assume Rika has lived much more chapters than we actually saw with the 6 previous one and the current yakusamashi.

Rika explicitely said that if she tells the truth to someone, something will happen to him/her (something so horrible that she doesn't want to think about it).
from this point, it is again a speculation, but there are high chances that Rika actually tried this several times and that the results weren't positive at all.

Anyway, considering the next 2 episodes titles (予定調和 - Prefixed Balance/Harmony & 雛見沢大災害 - Great Hinamizawa Disaster), it appear the "rollercoaster" will soon appear... in a rather brutal way...

While I don't see Rika snapping since she's the one person who has enough information not to fall into something like that. Could see (probably wouldn't be shown since it's not that exciting), a few times where she just doesn't bother. Feeling its really pointless and letting things take their course until she ends up dead.

We'll have to take Rika's word on this. No dbout she's tried the telling everyone what's going on route and apparently with negative consequences. It's a tight rope since telling them could push certain characters over the edge and make things worse. It'd all rely on finding the right people to tell and giving it to them in a way that they would believe her and not go crazy. Never an easy thing.

Just wish I had an answer for what Rika could do in order to stop this from happening over and over again. Other than hoping for some incredible miracle where the others gain memories of terrible things they've done and band together to protect Rika from whoever is responsible for her deaths.